'5 more minute' mantra

Sitting around in the hotel lounge/bar, as it's half-heartedly raining outside. The girls (Anna, Suze, Susie, Lorna and I) are test-driving a Tanzanian chenin blanc. My Berry Brothers wine-tasting course is being put to good use. I'm thinking pee and rubber, which is probably just the ramblings of an idle mind. It is the colour of honey, and is made from Benedictine monks in Soni, from the Sakharani vineyard, called Usambara. It costs 11 000 shillings, which is about £4.40. About £4.00 too much, I feel.

We talk about food all the time here. Debating mushy peas (and sleep walking) at the moment. Leon9, you'd have a captive audience here with your great Which Meat Is Best debate. I've tried to inspire people to talk Lamb/Beef/Pork (my ordering choice) but no-one is biting. Someone tried the amateur approach, of suggesting fish/chicken/duck, but I had to educate them that there really are only three meats in the race.

People update. Ok, here goes... (Bear in mind trip buddies might read this one day, so I am being restrained), in alphabetical order sorta:

Anna. She's sitting next to me, smoking. She's 100% given up giving up. She has bright reddy-auburn hair (errr not naturally!) And slaps sunscreen on constantly, so is pale-of-skin. She has a pierced - well - the bit under your lower lip. She's a specialised web-designer and studies too. She reads a lot, and is russian-australian. Lives with Steve. Quirky, interested in what's going on.

Christine. She is co-leading the trip. Australian, laughs easily, short haired and quite a blokey-girl, but has dimples and a weakness for country music, and (I think) a bit of a softie at heart. She's says ' You'sa' a lot, so reminds me of Jar-jar.

Jan. Lives on the Isle of Dogs. Travels a lot. Likes animals a lot. Doesn't speak or join in, so is a bit of a mystery. Is partner of Stephen.

Julius. He is the other co-leader, Kenyan. Lovely. He is tall and dresses well, and smiles a lot, but is quite stern sometimes too. He says Hellbows, and Potographs. I have a soft-spot for him, which means I have endured much ribbing from Trouble.

Kat. 21, student. She is partners in crime with Mel, and is very cheeky and smiley. She sings a lot, and mucks in and is positive. She has long dark hair, and always looks like she's up to no good. Very well spoken. Sometimes comes out with spannerish things like me, and is quick to laugh at herself.

Keith. 25. Tall. Dark-haired and is man of many facial expressions. He has a Brummie-ish accent. He leads a cardiac arrest nurse team, and yes - is the avid glamour photographer too. He is very kind and thoughtful and just put my tent up for me, as he's bored! He makes us capuccinos in the morning, and is hugely considerate, and very, very funny. He finds Neils impressions hilarious, and is generally a source of either causing laughter, or cracking up himself. Ah, right on time, Keith just said 'colonic irrigation is a load of sh*t'.

Leo. Chef. Kenyan. Little. Smiley. He cooks AWESOME coconut rice, and beef in condensed milk, of all things. He has a soft-sport for Mel'n'Kat, and is a really, really nice guy.

Liz. Fantastic lady, married to Neil. She smiles all the time, and is very caring and quick to laugh. She is tall and curvy and quite motheringy/caring, hence why Kat and Mel have adopted her and Neil as their parents for the holiday. She is one of those people that can wear scarves and look elegant, whereas I tend to look about as sensible as a dog wearing a hat.

Lorna. Lovely Irish girl. Also dark-haired, tall and fashionable. She likes her food, and is regularly 'starving', but is still v skinny. There is no justice. She is a lawyer, dating a DJ, smiles a lot! Lovely accent, and can come out with some classics. Is currently staying in room number tirty-tree.

Mel. Also 21, also student. Even more up-to-no-good than Kat. She has blonde hair, reminds me a little of Billy Piper, and is very inquisitive and seems to speak easily to everyone. Very nice girl, I'm looking forward to the 2 trouble-causers coming to visit and have a crack at corrupting the new Barcap interns.

Neil. Late 40s, strong West-country accent, and absolutely hilarious. He is very, very fair, and pokes fun constantly, but never in a hurtful way. He's the one I sat next to on the way over, and is SUCH good value. Married to Liz.

Oliver. 64. Irish. He still doesn't know everyones name, and is known for 'accidentally' walking past when people are in any state of undress, generally bearing camera. He smiles fairly readily, speaks constantly, and I REALLY battle to understand him. He is partial to drinking.

Stephen. Married to Jan. Knows some people at Barcap who he worked with at ING. Very softly spoken, calm, tolerant. Doesn't speak much, but sometimes has a cheeky smile.

Steve. Boyfriend of Anna. He is a Buzz Lightyear lookalike, good looking - square-jawed, with bleached blonde hair. He works as a computer games engineer (lucky git), and tends to make jokes just under audible levels, which are very funny if you catch them. He is happy to muck in, however is a bit of a soft-touch! Anna has him wrapped around her little finger!

Susie. Very English, very pretty blonde girl. Also a lawyer, and very bright and interested in her surroundings. She always looks very ladylike and stylish, but can come out with some very shockingly lewd things when you least expect it. She has very cool socks, and was the pioneer of the socks'n'sandals look. Only person to have ever, ever pulled it off without looking ridiculous.

Suze. Tent-buddy, room buddy, Dr Suze Medicine Woman. She is 6 months younger than me (errrr 29) but is far more practical in her outlook. She has cats and walks dogs for charity. She is a GP. TB has done courses in massage, reflexology, and indian head massage, which is a fine quality in a travelling companion. She cracks me up all the time, and has lots of good travelling stories. She lives near Stratford (upon Avon, not East London hell-hole). Like Keith, she is very thoughtful and kind, and considers others all the time. She has 3 brothers, and accordingly feisty! I got VERY lucky with tent-buddy, she is sterling value.

Just spent ages trying to figure out who I had missed out, as there are only 16 in that list, and there are 17 on the trip. @rse. TB just said "yourself, you dozy cow". They know me fairly well already.

Deliberating cake. Thumbs aching.